Anti-tangle elastic wire for coiled hoses and wires

ABSTRACT

An anti-tangle means for coiled materials; such as a coiled electric wires, coiled lawning hoses, compressed air hose, and coiled telephone wires, is provided. The means is comprised of a long elastic wire and a case for rewinding the wire. The rewinding elastic wire penetrates inside of a helix that is formed by the coiled material. Retracted length of the elastic wire is same as the retracted coiled hoses/coiled wires and fully stretched length of the wire is the same as the stretched length of the hoses/wires. One end of the elastic wire is connected to one end of the coiled material and the other end is connected to a ribbon spring that is installed inside of a case. The case has a stopper to control the tension of the elastic wire. The elastic wire with proper tension prevents tangling of the coiled material.

1. FIELD OF INVENTION

Current application relates with a retractable elastic wire, especially relates with a rewindable elastic wire that is installed inside of a helix of a coiled material to prevent tangling of coiled hoses and wires.

2. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Coiled wires and hoses are widely used in our daily life. A telephone jack line between a ground phone body and receiver is one example. Especially for a ground phone on a desk of office, the coiled jack line easily tangled and makes a user annoyed. That kind of inconvenience is acceptable as a small happening in everyday life. However, for gardeners tangled hose line causes some trouble. They must cut the water first and untwine all the hose. Time loss due to tanglement is not negligible. Moreover, repeated tangle, folding in some part, and untwine of coiled hose, most of which are made of flexible plastics that are weak in repeated folding, may result in break of the hose it self. And once it is tangled and exposed to sunlight, the coiled hose deformed by the heat of sunlight and can not be coiled again. For coiled electric power lines, tanglement may result in short in circuit. The result is more significant and may do damage to user and may starts fire. It is purpose of the current application to provide an anti-tangle means that not only prevents tanglement of coiled hoses/lines. In stretched position the tensioned elastic wire prevents tanglement and in retracted position the wire holds the coiled hoses/wires in a compact mode.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ARTS

U.S. Pat. No. 6,845,559 to Choi illustrates a structure and a method for coupling a protective net to a flexible tube, comprising shaping the flexible tube, wrapping the flexible tube with the meshed protective net made of stainless steel, and welding both ends of the flexible tube to both ends of the protective net. A solution heating process for the flexible tube and welding process for the flexible tube and the protective net are simultaneously carried out under the same condition in the same furnace.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,263,942 to Lenhart, et al. illustrates a support sheathing for use, for example, on tubular sausage casings, the sheathing forming a container for a cylindrical hollow rod made of a shirred tubular casing, the sheathing comprising a heat-shrinkable, net-like, plastic tubular material, the sheathing surrounding the tubular casing about its outer cylindrical surface and forming integral end portions for covering end portions of said tubular casing, said integral end portions of the sheathing having annular openings therein surrounded by an annular bead, whereby the end openings of the sheathing permit access to the interior cavity of the hollow rod.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,955,149 to Gubernick illustrates a cable retractor comprising an elongated resilient tube formed into a plurality of axially aligned spiral loops each having its peripheral extremity opens spirally to receive and support a length of cable within the hollow of said resilient tube; and a spiral spring having the loops thereof within said hollow.

None of the prior art illustrates an anti-tangle means shown as in the current application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A telephone jack line between a ground phone body and receiver is one example of coiled wires. The coiled jack line easily tangled and makes a user annoyed. That kind of inconvenience is acceptable as a small happening in everyday life because the tangled line does not disturb communication through telephone. Some user enjoys tangling and untwines the tangle. However, for gardeners tangled hose line causes some trouble. They must cut the water first and untwine all the hose. Time loss due to tanglement is not negligible. Moreover, repeated tangle, folding in some part, and untwine of coiled hose, most of which are made of flexible plastics that are weak in repeated folding, may result in break of the hose it self. For coiled electric power lines, tanglement may result in short in circuit. The result is more significant and may do damage to user and may starts fire. It is purpose of the current application to provide an anti-tangle means that not only prevents tanglement of coiled hoses/lines but also protects them in both position of stretched and retracted. In stretched position the muff prevents tanglement and in retracted position the muff makes it easy to store the coiled hoses/wires. An anti-tangle means for coiled materials is provided. The means is comprised of a long elastic wire and a case for rewinding the wire. The rewinding elastic wire penetrates inside of a helix that is formed by the coiled material. Retracted length of the elastic wire is same as the retracted coiled hoses/coiled wires and fully stretched length of the wire is the same as the stretched length of the hoses/wires. One end of the elastic wire is connected to one end of the coiled material and the other end is connected to a ribbon spring that is installed inside of a case. The case has a stopper to control the tension of the elastic wire. The elastic wire with proper tension prevents tangling of the coiled material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coiled hose tangled while use.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an anti-tangle means of an elastic wire for coiled hoses according to current application installed inside of a helix of a coiled hose.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged drawing of the anti-tangle means of an elastic wire and it's rewinding module attached at nozzle of a coiled hose.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing that shows how a coiled hose tangled.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing that shows how the anti-tangle means of elastic wire according to current application prevents tangling of a coiled hose.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a coiled gardening hose (1) tangled while use. It happens frequently while using a coiled hose to supply water to lawn (2) of a garden. A coiled gardening hose (1) easily tangles if a user changes nozzle (3) direction of the hose (1) from here to there.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an anti-tangle means of an elastic wire (4) for coiled gardening hose according to current application installed inside of a helix (5) of a retracted coiled gardening hose (1). The anti-tangle means of an elastic wire (4) of the current application is comprised of an elastic wire (4) and a rewinding module.

Length (6) of the elastic wire (4) in retracted state is maintained as the same as the length (7) of the retracted coiled hose (1) by engaging the first end (4-1) of the elastic wire (4) is to the spray nozzle (3) of the hose (1) via a rewinding module (8) and by fixing the second end (4-2) to the other end (1-2) of the hose (1), which is connected to a tap water. If the second end (4-2) of the elastic wire is not fixed to the other end (1-2) of the hose, the elastic wire (4) is totally rewinded inside of the module (8).

FIG. 3 is an enlarged drawing of the anti-tangle means of an elastic wire (4) and its rewinding module (8) attached at nozzle of a coiled hose (1). The rewinding module (8) is comprised of a case (8-1), which has an upper section (8-2), wherein the nozzle (3) of the hose (1) is engaged, and a lower section (8-3), wherein a ribbon spring (8-4) hold the first end (4-1) of the elastic wire (4) to rewind. A stopping button (8-5) that placed on the upper out side of the case (8-1) controls the tension of the elastic wire (4). The stopping button (8-5) is connected to a lever (8-6) to hold and release the elastic wire (4) depending on the position of the stopping button (8-5).

When a user press the stopping button (8-5), the lever (8-6) moves downward and holds the elastic wire (4). When the user pulls out the module (8) away from the tap water without pressing the stopping button (8-5), the elastic wire (4) is released from the module (8). When the user reaches a point to spray the water and presses the stopping button (8-5), the lever (8-6) moves down-ward and holds the elastic wire (4). At this point, the elastic wire (4) retains its tension and supports the coiled hose because the elastic wire (4) is stretched all the way along the inside of the helix (5) of the coiled hose (5).

After the spraying water is finished, the user releases the stopping button (8-5) and move following the tension of the elastic wire (4). Then the ribbon spring (8-4) rewinds the elastic wire (4) while the wire (4) maintains its tension.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing that shows how a coiled hose (5) tangled. When a user spays water to one part of a lawn and then sprays to another corner of the lawn, the user usually drags the nozzle (3) of the coiled hose (1) to the corner. Then rest part of the coiled hose (1) usually overlaps each other and one loop (5-1) of the helix (5) may inserted between two other neighboring loops (5-2) and (5-3). Once the hose (1) is tangled, it takes a time to untwine and it disturbs the job. If the tangled hose (1) is left behind an hour on a hot summer day under the sun, the hose may be deformed and should be abandoned.

FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing that shows how the anti-tangle means of an elastic wire (4) according to current application prevents tangling of a coiled hose (1). Though some parts of the coiled hose (1) overlap each other and one loop (5-4) of the helix (5) is inserted between two neighbor loops (5-5) and (5-6), the elastic wire (4) blocks the loop (5-4) stick into the space between the other loops (5-5) and (5-6). After use, the coiled hose (1) and the elastic wire returns to a state shown in FIG. 2.

To return the hose to the state as shown in FIG. 2, the user push the stopper (8-5) to hold the elastic wire (4) in a position and raises the nozzle (3). At this moment the nozzle side helix is upright. Then the user releases the stopper (8-5) to rewind the elastic wire into the module (8) and allow the helixes of the coiled hose retract. The user repeats this motion until the whole coiled hose (1) retracts to the retracted state. Such repeated partial retraction helps preventing tanglement of the coiled hose. If the user goes directly to the water tap direction after use, the coiled hose without the elastic wire (4) of the current application will be tangled.

The rewinding module (8) may be attached to the tap water side. 

1. An anti-tangle means of an elastic wire, for coiled gardening hose that is installed inside of a helix of a retracted coiled gardening hose, which is comprised of; an elastic wire, and a rewinding module that is comprised of a case, which has an upper section wherein the nozzle of a gardening hose is engaged, and a lower section, and a ribbon spring that is installed inside of the lower section of the rewinding module and hold the first end of the elastic wire to rewind, and a stopping button that is placed on the upper out side of the case to controls the tension of the elastic wire, and a lever that is connected to the stopping button to hold and release the elastic wire depending on the position of the stopping button.
 2. An anti-tangle means of an elastic wire for coiled gardening hose of the claim 1, wherein; the length of the elastic wire in retracted state is maintained as the same as the length of the retracted coiled hose by engaging the first end of the elastic wire to the spray nozzle of the hose via a rewinding module and by fixing the second end to the other end of the hose, which is connected to a tap water, and the elastic wire is totally rewinded inside of the module when the second end of the elastic wire is not fixed to the other end of the hose.
 3. An anti-tangle means of an elastic wire, for coiled gardening hose of the claim 1, wherein the elastic wire prevents tangling of a coiled gardening hose by blocking a helix loop stick into a space between two other neighboring helix loops. 